The Holiday Season

                                   

Everyone loves holidays. From Christmas to Easter, there are just so many holidays, and each one comes with a different meaning and way to celebrate. Most people have a favorite holiday, but which one that is depends greatly on what they personally do for each one. Holidays bring people together. For the most part, all holidays are just a time for family and friends to come together to celebrate different events from our past. This week is Thanksgiving, and it’s a holiday all about eating turkey and other food with family. Thanksgiving is only celebrated in America, and it is a time when Americans can all really relate about something. Things such as the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade even further bring people together.

                What religion you are, where you’re from, and so many other factors go into what holidays you celebrate. It brings everyone who is similar to you together, and you all have something to talk about and relate to. Holidays have developed, and as time goes on they continue to develop with the changing times. When you are a kid, every holiday is even more exciting and fun because of things such as Santa, the Easter bunny, and all of the other holiday icons. Then as you get older the holidays are still great, despite knowing that these things don’t even exist. This is because there is just a certain feeling that is associated with holidays. It is one that everyone knows. By bringing people together, holidays are one of our most powerful mediums.

College Decisions: What do they really mean?

What college you choose to go to is a very important question in your life. Then once you get there you will end up becoming friends with a certain group of people, depending on your interests, where you’re from, and a lot of other factors. A college campus is a very interesting medium, and the look, feel, and location can vary very much from school to school. However, it is also one of the best and most successful mediums because it brings so many people together from so many different areas. Babson for instance brings students from all over the world, and we get to learn about so many other cultures and societies.

                There are many factors that go into choosing a school. One might be the extra-curricular activities that the school offers like athletics or theater. Another big factor in many cases would be family. Many children follow their parent’s footsteps and go to the same college. People become devoted to certain schools. Also there are schools that are public and schools that are private, some schools that are expensive and some that aren’t. There are the Ivy leagues, Catholic schools, community colleges, and so many more. The fact that there are so many different options when choosing a school simply shows how great of a medium it is. It allows people to really look and research what college they would fit in best at and where they could be the most successful.  It is really an interesting process in choosing a school, and then once you’re there its amazing the things you can do and the people you may meet.  Another interesting thing is that once you choose a college, people associate you with what they know about the college. People will judge you and group you with the college’s successes or failures. If you go to a school known for being harder, then you will then be viewed as being smart by anyone who knows that. So much is then assumed about you in regards to your academic capability. Basically at colleges everywhere you could go and meet people who otherwise you might never have had the opportunity to.

The Narcissism of Twitter

Narcissism could be defined as being when a person has excessive self-admiration and self-centeredness. I think Twitter is really a pointless invention, and I think it is simply a way for narcissistic people to only further admire themselves. Even on facebook, some people update their status that says exactly what they're doing. I think maybe it isn’t a bad thing to do in moderation, for example I've seen statuses that are used to try to get support for something, or to get a question answered. It is just when people use twitter and facebook to talk about things that no one else really needs to know. I'm sure that Twitter is useful; however I do think that some people use it unnecessarily.
In an article by the Times clinical psychologist Oliver James said. “Twittering stems from a lack of identity. It’s a constant update of who you are, what you are, where you are. Nobody would Twitter if they had a strong sense of identity.” Although I think this is a very strong view point, i do slightly agree. It is interesting that people have to constantly say what they're doing, when it just isn't necessary. I obviously don't know exactly what makes people use Twitter and constantly update their status on facebook, but I am simply saying that it comes off as being narcissistic. I'm also not anti-facebook since you can do so many other things besides update your status; I just meant that facebook is simply another possible way for people to do this. Overall, I think our society in general is becoming more self-obsessed, and I am interested to see what comes next.

Nude Pictures

Texting has become very popular within our society. Children, parents, teenagers, and pretty much every age group texts. However, more recently "sexting" has become more and more popular among teenagers, in particular teenage girls. Sexting is a pretty self explanatory term, and I am pretty sure most people have heard of it. The growing issue is that teenagers are beginning to send nude pictures of themselves. They may not realize it, but once they send any pictures, they could then be uploaded to internet, forwarded to friends, and so many other things could potentially be done with these pictures. It is a serious issue because these girls might not realize the potential harm of these pictures. Another issue is that these girls could be getting peer pressured into doing these things, when they might not even feel comfortable with it.

Recently there has been a lot of debate about the laws surrounding sexting. There have been some cases where teenagers have almost been charged with possession of child pornography, but in reality it wasn't actually a violation of any of these laws. The sending of these nude pictures is a very new development so, many people think that we need to come up with a completely new set of laws to regulate this sexting. I think that they are going to have to start regulating this soon because it is becoming more and more of an issue.

The Effects of Appearance

                                                

One medium that I think has definitely begun to have more of an effect on our lives would be our appearances. In the past your appearance still mattered, but in our current society there is a lot of pressure to look, act, and talk a certain way. Things that never used to matter like what brand of clothing you prefer, whether you eat organic food, and what type of car you drive now matter greatly. We have become a very materialistic society. I am not saying that I don’t do this as well, but when you take a step back and look at it all, we all have become very judgmental of each other. We seem to size each other up as soon as we meet. We form an idea of who they are and what their personality is going to be like based simply on their hair, clothes, car, and weight.

            We can use our appearance to our advantage, by looking professional and ready for a job interview. However, on the other side this means that if you aren’t dressed in the right way, that alone could be a deal breaker. I think that there is a reason for keeping up a good appearance at the work place and at certain functions and events. I just find it interesting how much our appearance could potentially shape our lives. I do believe it is a medium because in a way you are marketing yourself, and you are trying to look a certain way. Then, if your appearance doesn’t fit with certain people, they might disregard you. I know that I am guilty of this, as I’m sure many people are. It is nice to look good, but I think there is more and more pressure on our society to act and look a certain way. A great example of this would be with cell phones. Many people look at what type of phone someone has and make judgments on how much money they have. It is like you always need to have the newest and most advanced model of everything. I think that this won’t change, and people will probably always judge people and make a decision of who they are within the first minute of meeting them based on their appearance. Our appearance will continue to be a big part of our lives.

The Move to 3-D Entertainment

                                

Movies have been around for a very long time, and they have come a very long way from what they originally were. I personally love to watch movies because they are like an escape from reality. They provide entertainment in so many different ways. From thrillers to love stories to horror movies, the level we are entertained doesn’t change no matter what type of movie it is. Whatever someone is in the mood to watch they have that ability to. I think that it is very interesting to look at how much movies have changed over time because it is such a great difference.

            One example of movies changing would be cartoons. If you watch one of the older Disney movies and compare it to a newer movie the difference is amazing. It is clear that the technology has come so far. Another example would be the difference in special effects in action, adventure movies. The explosions, war scenes, and every aspect of them has come so far and is now so realistic.  The difference from what movies were and what movies are is quite obvious to anyone really. However, now we are moving into whole new area of movies, 3-D. it seems like every movie that comes out now, or at least most, have both regular and 3-D as an option. 3-D movies are again an amazing example of how far technology has come. I just wonder where we will be going next. It is interesting to look at the history of movies simply because of the huge leaps they have made. If we keep going on this track then who knows how we will be watching movies in ten years.

Has texting taken over our lives?

      

Since technology has continued to develop more and more, each generation has adapted to live with the technology they know. When cell phones first came out, texting was non-existent. Now, there are so many smart phones that it has almost become impossible to get by without having texting on your phone. People whose ages ranging from 3rd or 4th grade to senior citizens are learning to text, and we have to ask ourselves, is this really necessary? Do children at such young ages and senior citizens really need to learn how to text?

        Now, we even text at times when we shouldn't. Some people text mid-conversation, which I know I personally do this, and it is in fact very rude to do. However, since we have grown up around this sort of behavior, we think it is ok to zone out and text when someone you are with is trying to have a conversation with you. People also text in school during class, in meetings, at family gatherings, and now there is even a law in place to outlaw texting while driving. I personally am guilty of texting in all these ways, and I'm not saying that I think texting is a bad thing. I realize that there are in facts so many advantages to texting, and that it has helped our society develop. I simply think that we need to learn or at least realize, since it really is common sense, when it is acceptable to text and when it isn't. By acting as though we need to text every minute of every day, which many people do, makes it seem as though texting has taken over our lives, and that we can't live without it. I just think that we need to realize that as great as texting is, we don’t have to do it as frequently as we do.   

Coming Together Through Sports

I think that one medium that is overlooked frequently for how much it brings people together is sporting events. There are so many different types of sports, and so many people all around the world come together to watch them. No matter what season it is, there is always some sort of sport that people can either go and watch, or they can also watch at home. They also are able to watch with family and friends no matter where they are.

            Another thing that makes it a great medium is the way that people will come together just to support one particular team. Some fans become very passionate about supporting their cities, towns, or regions team. Then out of all of this fanaticism comes the rivalries, which although some can be very intense, it still brings more to the experience. A great example of this is the Boston Red Sox and the New York Yankees. These two teams have had a rivalry that has been going on for years and years. These rivalries then make the game and competition go to a whole new level. It almost makes it as though the fans themselves are battling on the fields along with the players. It really makes the experience that much better when you can get into the game and be as enthusiastic as many fans are.

            Sporting events have even come to be an international experience. Events such as the Olympics bring the whole world together. There are very few instances when it is possible to say that people from all over the world are watching the same thing at the same time. However, this is the case with things such as the Olympics and The World Cup for soccer. It brings people together on both a national and international scale.  Overall, sporting events are a medium which pretty much everyone watches. It is a way for people to come together, and they can just have fun and support the teams they choose.  

                 

Grey's Anatomy

Grey’s Anatomy is my favorite television show. I love watching it, and I am excited for every new episode, even watching some multiple times. I chose Grey’s Anatomy to talk about because as great of a show as it is, I think it is a great example of how unrealistic some aspects of television are becoming. I also find it interesting the way I still love it even though some of the scenarios are very far-fetched. There is definitely a lot of realistic aspects of Grey’s, but if I had to go to Seattle Grace Hospital, I don’t know how I’d feel about it. This is because although in the show it is considered a great hospital, I personally wouldn’t want my doctors to act the way they do in the work place. From Syphilis outbreaks to the chief of surgery getting away with being drunk, Seattle Grace Hospital somehow still manages to stay successful. I think the lack of reality is a good thing because it provides entertainment, but for some shows in particular this could be very dangerous if someone who doesn’t have the ability to realize this watches these unrealistic situations. This is related to the fact that we suspend disbelief while watching television and other types of media. Television can and obviously will continue to do this, but we just need to make sure that everyone in our Society grasps this concept to make sure it doesn't affect us negatively.

Facebook: A way to stay connected

Facebook has become one of the most popular social networking sites on the internet. It allows you to stay connected with friends, family, and pretty much anyone you’d like to, given they have a Facebook themselves. I personally believe that Facebook has become a very important key in people’s lives to stay connected no matter how far they are apart. My profile allows me to say my interests, where I go to school, what music I like, and it so many other things as well. I can post pictures of myself, and do so many other things all at the click of a button.

One up and coming aspect of Facebook is that employers are beginning to use it to look at people and see who they are and what they do with their spare time. This could be very beneficial, yet it also could hurt some people’s job opportunities. This particular example just proves how many different ways Facebook can be used to observe and look at people. Our society is starting to get more and more involved with Facebook, and we are realizing all the different capabilities that it provides for us. As long as people keep their Facebook clean and appropriate then it could really help them to move forward in their lives. If Facebook continues to develop and become more advanced, then who knows what we will be using it for in the future?

Media are Connections

Media could be defined as many different things depending on the perspective you use to approach it. The first immediate view many people have on media is that it is simply television, radio, phones, and other technology. However, after researching it and actually thinking about what it truly is, media could be defined as whatever allows people to connect and communicate with each other. There are many different things that people would not consider media, but if you look deeper, you are able to see that these questionable things are media because they give us the ability to communicate with each other. Media are the means through which people are able to come together and share their feelings, opinions, and views on certain issues.

            The first examples of media that do prove this to be the definition of media would be the very straightforward things. Television, radio, cell phones, and the internet are just some examples of media that allow people to see the news and what is going on in the world. They are a means of connecting with everything, and everyone uses them daily. People are beginning to rely on these means much more than in the past, and in some ways it is good and some ways it is bad. In the same way that these things allow us to connect with the world, it is taking away some of the human to human contact that people used to have much more of. It makes us able to communicate without having to interact face to face. However, they are some of the most well known and straight forward forms of media there is today.

            Another example of media which isn’t quite as straightforward are the things that allow us to interact and connect in person. For example Electric light as mentioned by Marshal Mculhan, is a way for us to see each other, and he says that many activities “could not exist without the electric light.”(Mculhan, pg 9) If there wasn’t electric light, then we wouldn’t be able to see each other and it would be harder for us to come together. There are so many things that we would not be able to do if it weren’t for many of the products that enable us to do them. Another example would be something such as cars and planes because they are a means for us to travel to see each other, no matter how far away we are. Anything that allows us to see each other and talk and converse are media. If we didn’t have these means of transportation, and these other means that allow us to be around each other than we would be a much different society.

            Another example would be any activity that we do as a group. Things such as eating, sports, Greek life, and any sort of social networking would be great examples. It is a way of everyone getting together and it can be argued that this is an example of media because it is a definite way to make a connection with other people. Things that bring people together and gives them the opportunity to talk and see what is going on in each other’s lives is definitely an example of media. People view certain activities, such as eating, as something that you do with family or friends. One could actually look at activities such as this as the original media because it has always been around. People have always done things together, and it has always been a time to talk and reflect about what has been going on in society. This simple physical connection between people is very important form of media.

            All in all, there are in fact many different forms of media, but the most important ones are the means by which people form connections, physically, socially, and emotionally. Either through technology or  the things that make us able to go to each other and see each other, or even  just simple day to day human interactions we are able to come to together as a society. Without these different aspects of media then we would not have been able to come as far as we have a whole civilization.